Dahlan: `“Detainees are the core of the Palestinian cause`

Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Mohammad Dahlan said that the case of the detainees in Israeli prisons is the core in any negotiations with the Israeli side.

After conducting a visit to Washington to inform the US government of the latest developments in the region, and the Israeli violations to the truce, Dahlan paused in Cairo, before heading back to the Gaza Strip.

Dahlan asked the states to increase its involvement in the peace process.

During his visit to Egypt, Dahlan was interviewed by Abdul-Nasser Al-Dawwi, an Egyptian journalist in Cairo.

“The United States formed an international coalition to fight global terror, it should be able to form a coalition to achieve peace in the Middle East’, Dahlan said.

Also, Dahlan added that the P.A considerers the detainees file as a top priority in any political agenda, especially the detainees who spent more than 15 years in detention.

“Israeli should present a timetable for their release, and not specify criterions”, Dahlan said.

Dahlan added that the jailed legislator Marwan Barghouthi should be freed since the charges against him are ‘untrue’ and illegal.

Commenting on the internal situation of Fateh movement, Dahlan said that several differences and conflicts emerged after the death of the late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.

“We can’t say that there is real conflict in side Fatah,  but there is a ‘hot’ dialogue and serious differences, which are needed to reform the movement, Fateh will hold internal elections next August, the third Fateh conference will be held too; Fateh will elect its leaders, it is unfortunate that this conference was held over the last 15 years”, Dahlan said.

 

Also, Dahlan added that the elections will specify the new leadership and the tasks ahead.

Referring to the Hudna, Dahlan said that Israel has repeatedly violated the truce, and did not respond to any of the Palestinian demands regarding the detainees, withdrawal or improving the daily life of the Palestinian people by removing the roadblocks and opening the crossing and the Palestinian areas.